This
story has been half-finished for months. Written for Neowolf, it is
intended to be an extra scene we never saw during the credits of the
game, after Midna returns to the Twilight Realm and before the scene
with Link riding Epona at the end. As Neowolf pointed out, Link is
riding away from the village at the end—not toward it—and Ilia is
looking after him somewhat sadly.

While
I know its probably unrealistic, it occurred to me that without Midna
Link and Zelda would be unable to leave the desert. That realization
inspired this story in the first place, but I conveniently created a
path for them to follow to get out and sidestepped the part about
having to be launched up to the cliff by the cannon in order to get
out of the lake area.

One
last disclaimer: I am assuming Zelda was aware during the time she
was inside Midna, so she has memories of many of the events that
happened toward the end of the game.

The
Epilogue

They
could have been more prepared for their trip to the desert. While
Link seemed well-equipped for any challenge or danger that might
confront them, Zelda's thick skirts and delicate shoes were not
made for long journeys across sweltering drifts of sand. This being
her first visit to the desert in her own body, Zelda had been
unprepared for the depth of its unpleasantness.

When
it became obvious that Zelda's attire was not suitable for their
journey, Link had attempted to facilitate their travel by capturing a
boar for her to ride. She had been skeptical of the animal, and had
only agreed to ride it if he were riding as well, but one
bone-jarring collision with a shoulder of rock half-buried in the
sand had been enough to return her skepticism twofold. Though he had
not said a word about it, Zelda imagined that Link would have bruises
across his midsection from her arms as she clung to him helplessly
when the boar charged and subsequently threw them from its back. Link
had released the boar soon after the incident at her insistence and
she was determined to manage the sand on foot without complaint.

Still,
the trip to the desert had been deceptively easy considering Midna's
ability to teleport them directly, and Zelda had not thought ahead
enough to realize the return trip would be far more difficult. But
they had made the decision on short notice, and Zelda hadn't truly
had time to think ahead regardless. Midna had been eager to return
home, perhaps half out of fear that their hard won method of travel
to the Twilight Realm would evaporate before she had the chance to
use it, or perhaps—and this was the factor Zelda thought more
likely—because she was afraid she would lose her will to leave if
she stayed any longer. Though Zelda doubted that Midna would ever
voluntarily admit her feelings, she could tell that the Twilight
Princess had become rather fond of Link.

Zelda
glanced up at the Chosen Hero with a wry smile as they reached the
top of another dune, watching the muscles of his back tense through
his tunic as one of the worm-like creatures came shrieking out of a
furrow of sand toward them. His sword was in his hand before she saw
him reach for it, and a few moments later the creature was twitching
on the ground. Zelda shivered as she watched its final throes in the
shadows of late afternoon, cursing her lack of foresight once again
as she thought of passing the night in such a horrid place.

She
heard Link shift and caught him glancing back at her, the slight tilt
of deference to his head as he looked at her making her frown. "Are
you all right?" he asked simply in that quiet, unassuming voice of
his. He spoke only rarely, and even when he did speak he said only
what needed to be said—a fact which simultaneously inspired respect
and frustration in her. Midna had often chuckled inwardly at Link's
simple manner as if his guilessness amused her to no end, but Zelda
often found his humility to be somewhat frustrating.

Though
she had lived her entire life in the shadow of the throne and grown
accustomed to being treated with reverence and respect, she was used
to the gestures of submission and subservience being matters of
expectation rather than symbols of genuine respect. Most of the
Hyrulian army was comprised of soldiers with egos larger than their
brains and fools interested in glory rather than the defense of their
kingdom. Few of them had even been bold enough to show concern when
Ganon shrouded the castle in his power. They had not attempted to
rescue her, or even bothered to look for a way inside.

And
yet, this Chosen Hero, a simple farmer who had journeyed beyond his
village for the first time only recently, had conquered the darkness,
fought against impossible odds and rescued a complete stranger—a
princess he had not even known existed before leaving his secluded
village—without even a thought of being thanked for what he'd
done. He had no reason to bow to her—had not been raised with the
expected customs and manners of the city—and yet he showed his
respect for her and her position with every gesture, every word and
every consideration for her well-being. But the most extraordinary
thing about his deference was that he felt it. His gestures actually
had meaning.

"I'm
fine," she answered finally, shivering again and rubbing her arms.
"But you must be tired. You have been fighting these creatures
every step of the way across the desert, and you still haven't
fully recovered from your fight with Ganondorf."

Link
considered her words silently, his gaze sweeping across the
landscape. Finally, he pointed to a large outcropping of rock. "We
could rest there for a while. It's not much farther." He glanced
at her again with that pleasant, almost timid smile, nearly bowing as
he spoke.

She
smiled faintly and inclined her head, watching as he turned away
immediately as if she had issued an order, looking back only to make
sure she was following. Exhaling softly, she began to pick her way
across the sand behind him, feeling strangely guilty. She knew that
he was stopping for her despite her assurance that she could go on,
and while she was grateful for the opportunity to rest, she hated
giving into weakness.

The
shelf of rock was high enough above the surrounding dunes to thwart
any of the desert creatures' attempts to attack them, but because
of its height, reaching the top required a bit of climbing. Link
managed the leap to the surface easily, but the jump was more than
she could accomplish in her heavy skirts. He turned to help her
before she had a chance to attempt it though. Grateful for the firm
grip of his calloused hand, Zelda allowed him to pull her up almost
entirely on his own, realizing that there was little she could do to
aid him as her slippered feet scrambled uselessly against the
crumbling rock. She didn't like feeling so helpless, but she
supposed she should be used to the feeling at this point considering
everything she had been through recently.

When
she was settled on more solid ground again he removed his steadying
touch from her waist, but his hand lingered on hers long enough for
her notice his hesitation. She glanced at him curiously, but he
released her hand the moment he saw her looking at him; she couldn't
be certain, but his cheeks seemed to be more flushed than usual. He
quickly turned away from her, gazing out across the shadowy dunes
toward the distant glint of Lake Hylia on the horizon.

Sighing,
Zelda brushed some of the sand from her skirts, wishing she had more
of Midna's boldness. While she was used to dealing with many
different kinds of people, she was accustomed to having others
approach her with questions, needs or decisions to be made. She was
not used to starting conversations, and she had little skill for
small talk.

Matters
were only made worse by the fact that things were decidedly awkward
between her and the savior of her people, and Zelda simply did not
know how to make it better. She felt as if she knew Link quite well
from observing him through Midna's eyes, but he knew only as much
about her as her title implied. Midna had always mediated between
them in the past—had been the reason for them knowing each other in
the first place. Without her presence, they had no point of
reference, few shared memories and little in common at all. And yet,
an unidentifiable, undeniable connection still existed between them;
she was the chosen ruler of Hyrule and he was its chosen hero—both
of their lives were overshadowed by the gods and fate.

To
her surprise, Link broke the silence first despite his quiet nature.
"Are you hungry?" he asked courteously, offering her a bit of
traveling cake he had pulled from one of the pouches at his waist.
Shrugging, he added uncomfortably, "It's not much…"

"Thank
you," Zelda replied quickly, taking the cake from him with as much
regal etiquette as she could manage despite her eagerness to ease his
discomfort. Their fingers brushed against each other as the food
exchanged hands, and again the awkwardness between them manifested
itself like a bolt of energy. Zelda's spine stiffened and their
eyes met vivid blue reflecting blue.

He
bowed his head slightly and turned away, his hands tracing over his
tunic as if to straighten it though it did not need straightening.
Zelda found herself frowning again as she nibbled on the cake. The
stifling heat of the day was beginning to fade as the sun finally
dropped beneath the cliffs bordering the desert, and Zelda wished
again that she had been thinking clearly enough before they left to
at least change into more appropriate traveling clothes. The
temperature would drop as night deepened and they had no fuel for a
fire.

Leaning
back against an outcropping of rock to lessen the weight on her
aching feet, Zelda decided to finally break the silence. "Link,"
she began quietly, slightly startled by the speed with which he
returned his returned his attention to her. "I'm curious. What
will you do now that your quest is over? Will you return to Ordon?"

He
considered her question with furrowed brows, but answered with an
uncertain shrug. "I haven't really thought about it yet."

Nodding
in response, Zelda considered what she knew about Link's life in
Ordon, remembering his childhood friend who had lost her memory. Link
had seemed very concerned about her, and had been clearly relieved
when her memories returned, but despite Midna's teasing, he hadn't
shown any obvious feelings for her beyond friendship. Still, Zelda
couldn't pretend to know him well enough to interpret his feelings
with any accuracy.

Watching
the faint sparks of stars as they began to peek out of the darkening
velvet sky, Zelda wondered why she was so interested in what Link
intended to do in the first place. Ever since her father had died,
matters of state and the concerns of her people had superceded any
personal concerns she might have had. While her duty to her kingdom
had been a major portion of her life since childhood, she had found
little room for anything else from the moment she became the sole
ruler of Hyrule. She rarely had the time to even notice the lack--or
her own loneliness--but her time of exile within the twilight prison
of Zant's creation had given her more than enough time to reflect
upon her self-denial.

"If
you choose not to return to your village," she found herself
saying, her voice faint on the dusty wind. "I would be eager to
offer you a position at the castle. Hyrule is safe again for now, but
I would feel better knowing we had a warrior of your caliber to call
upon in an emergency." She told herself she was simply being
practical—Link was one of the most competent swordsmen she had even
seen, after all, and would be an enormous asset to her army, but she
certainly didn't want to put any pressure on him.

Link
regarded her silently, his expression serious and thoughtful, but did
not respond.

"Take
as much time as you need to consider it—the offer will remain open
indefinitely," she added quickly. "You have already given much of
yourself in the service of Hyrule, and I truly have no right to ask
anything more."

Shifting
his gaze to the tracks of worms racing beneath the dunes beyond their
small haven in the desert, he said uncomfortably, "We should
probably start moving again." He glanced back at her hesitantly for
her approval, but quickly shifted his gaze as soon as she had nodded
her head in agreement.

The
moon was a distant glow creeping over the horizon by the time they
reached the edge of the desert, the night deepening and making travel
even more treacherous. Zelda's mind had gone numb with the endless
repetition of dragging her feet through the sand though it clung to
her relentlessly and seemed to pull her deeper with every labored
step. Climbing on a shelf of rock beside Link, she looked out over
the ethereal vista before them.

Painted
in subtle shades of moonlight, the land below seemed dreamlike and
other worldly. For a moment it reminded her of the ethereal beauty of
the Twilight Realm. As she looked over the cliff into the dark waters
far below, though, Zelda realized that their trek across the desert
had been the easy part of the journey.

Frowning
at the rocky path leading down to the lake, Link reached for a rope
looped around his belt and handed her one end. "The cliff is
treacherous," he explained. "This way if you slip you won't
fall."

Zelda
nodded in understanding, wrapping the rope around her waist. She
fumbled with a knot for a moment, but she had never had much
experience with such things, and when Link noticed her struggles he
reached out to help her. His hands hovering over hers, he hesitated,
looking up at her for permission. Smiling sadly, she moved her hands
out of the way and gestured for him to continue. Why did it bother
her that he always hesitated? Was it only a lack of confidence around
a female, or was it truly because of the fact that she was royalty?
She appreciated Link's respect, but she didn't want him to feel
uncomfortable around her. After all that he had accomplished already
he had no need to feel uncertain of himself. She deferred to his
judgment in such matters without hesitation.

He
deftly tied a knot at her hip, pausing as he tightened it. "Is that
too tight?"

"No.
Its fine," she replied, placing her hand lightly on top of his.
"Thank you."

They
began to work their way down the face of the cliff along a path so
narrow that at times they had to cling to the rock itself. Zelda's
dress was a lost cause at this point, riddled with tears and snags so
numerous that the fabric was rough to the touch. Despite the peril of
their descent, Zelda slipped only once and Link's rope did its job
well and caught her before she could fall out of reach, his Claw Shot
buried deep enough within the rock to keep them both from tumbling
off the cliff. He hauled her up again quickly, and even allowed her
to cling to him for a few moments in relief. She felt ashamed of her
weakness as she trembled against him while the unsettling memory of
falling helplessly through the air lingered.

Finally,
they were standing firmly on solid ground again and walking easily
across grassy ground, the gentle lapping of water against the shore a
harmless drop of a few meters below reassuring in its proximity.
Either sensing her exhaustion or simply acting on his own weariness,
Link led her to a cave not far from the shore, scouring the entrance
for enemies before he would allow her to enter.

Nearly
collapsing against the rough stone ground, Zelda wondered if she
would ever be able to gather the energy to move again. By the
goddesses, why had she not had the forethought to consider their
return journey before traipsing across the world with Midna?

Gathering
some brush and piling it up in the center of the cavern, Link said,
"The sun should rise in another hour. We should rest until then."

Zelda
watched him silently as he built a small fire, drinking in the warmth
of the flame hungrily. She was beyond protesting any delays.

"I'll
go get some water. You must be thirsty."

Before
he could leave, she grasped his forearm lightly and caught his gaze.
"I can wait. You should rest."

Startled
by her statement, his eyes widened, glowing with the ruddy light of
the fire. Then, that quiet smile softening his features again, he
turned his arm over and squeezed her hand gently. "I don't mind.
I'll be right back."

Despite
the fire, the cave felt cold in his absence and she shivered, hugging
her arms to herself as she peered into the dark opening at the back
of the chamber leading deeper into the cavern. Soft squeaks and the
flutters of wings in the distance made her grit her teeth and scoot
closer to the fire. Refusing to be unprepared, she gathered a few of
the stones scattered across the ground and waited for any of the
creatures hiding in the darkness to make a move.

Her
eyes straining to make out any shape beyond the circle of firelight,
she was taut with tension by the time one of the bats finally dove
out of the shadows toward her. Flinging a stone at it and gathering
more with her other hand, she fended of the attack of several more
bats, but the moment of victory was brief.

The
slap of something large and wet landing on the ground made the hairs
rise on the back of her neck. Fear coiled in her stomach when she
realized that there were no other weapons within reach. Something
amorphous slithered into the chamber, radiating a sickly chartreuse
glow as it rolled and squelched its way toward her. Before she could
even scramble to her feet and run, a silhouette leapt toward the
thing from behind her. Breathing in relief when she saw Link's
profile as he sliced his sword effortlessly through the creature, she
gasped when it split in two smaller--but still menacing--shapes.

Link
seemed unconcerned, sweeping his sword in a broad arc and raising
dust as the blade cut through the air. The creatures made one last
sound of protest before dissolving in a burst of light and smoke.
Sheathing his sword with a flourish, Link immediately turned his
attention to her. "Are you all right?"

"Yes.
I think so."

Glancing
at the tunnel beyond the cave, he frowned. "I should have explored
more to make sure it was safe before I left you here alone."

Waving
her hand dismissively, Zelda rose to her feet and dusted off her
skirts more out of habit than need. "You were there to protect me
when I needed you."

He
nodded, though his expression was still troubled.

She
took the bottle of water he offered her and it seemed to wash away
some of her exhaustion. "Shall we go?" she asked, handing the
bottle back to him.

The
sun was well into the sky by the time they reached the crumbling
stone bridge that arched above Lake Hylia. They were close to their
destination now, and though Zelda was eager to get back to the castle
and surrender to sleep for a day at least, she was saddened by the
prospect of parting ways with her gentle guardian.

Zelda
watched as Link used a small flute to call his horse, remembering
where the flute had come from and feeling suddenly very selfish for
wishing to enjoy his company a little longer. Link had a home to
return to and she had no right to ask him to stay. He had already
served Hyrule far beyond what was required; he deserved the chance to
live a peaceful life in his hometown with the girl who seemed to care
for him so deeply.

Despite
the guilt choking her throat, she couldn't summon the will to
retract her offer of a position at the castle. Instead, she remained
silent when he smiled at her and gathered the reins of his horse up
in his hands oblivious to her troubled thoughts.

Epona
seemed excited to see him, nuzzling his shoulder as he brushed his
fingers through her mane. Mounting smoothly, he immediately reached a
hand back down to help her up.

She
allowed him to pull her up behind him, leaning in close and holding
onto his waist for reassurance as he nudged Epona into a trot. Riding
behind him brought back memories of their recent fight; the tension
she had felt in his back as they raced after Ganon, the desperation
in her attempts to make their enemy pause with her holy arrows before
he sent more phantoms after them. Shaking the memory away, she
indulged herself for a moment by resting her forehead against Link's
shoulder, surprised to find the musky aroma of sweat and sand
embedded in his tunic comforting.

She
was already nodding off when he slowed Epona's canter back down to
a walk at the entrance to Castle Town. He shifted to look back at
her, and she quickly pulled away from him in embarrassment. Trying to
regain her poise, she started to slide off Epona's back with as
much grace as she could manage, but before she could get far he
caught her arm and slowed her descent, making certain she was on her
feet before he released his grip.

Gathering
her wits, she looked up at him silently for a moment, unable to voice
the miasma of emotion swirling inside of her. "I don't have the
words to thank you for all that you've done, Link, but I will be
eternally grateful to you for saving this kingdom. If there is ever
anything you need, please don't hesitate to ask. Anything in this
kingdom is yours for the asking."

His
lips parted slightly and he seemed about to say something, but he
closed them again without saying a word, merely bowing his head
deeply.

Forcing
herself not to look back, Zelda turned and climbed the steps toward
the town, listening to the sound of Epona's hooves shuffling
against the ground as the Hero of Hyrule turned to go as well. This
was for the best. Hyrule was safe for the moment and could survive
without a hero until the next crisis.

Epona
huffed impatiently, but did not take off as she had been expecting.
When Zelda was halfway across the bridge she heard boots land against
the wood behind her. Turning in surprise, she saw Link jogging after
her, his brows drawn together in an expression of apprehension mixed
with earnestness.

"Princess,"
he called tentatively, out of breath despite the fact that the
exertion should not have winded him. "I have to go back to Ordon,"
he began, his blue eyes watching her attentively. "There are some
things I need to do…but I'll be back. I accept the position at
the castle."

Swallowing
as if to gather his courage, he licked his lips and drew a deep
breath as he added, "There's something else."

She
raised her eyebrows, completely unprepared for his sudden
boldness—but far from displeased.

"You
said that I could have anything…" His eyes darted away from hers
and his hands clenched at his sides.

"Yes.
Of course." She couldn't begin to fathom where he was going with
this, but whatever it was he wanted seemed to be very important to
him.

When
he looked at her again, she was stunned by the force of his gaze.
Frozen in place, she watched him move toward her sluggishly as if in
a dream, never breaking eye contact until the last moment. He pressed
a kiss against her cheek and her hands reached up to grasp at his
tunic reflexively before he could pull away. Her eyes sliding shut,
she turned her head until their lips met, all of her doubts
forgotten.

That
small, sweet smile of his was curving his lips again when he broke
the kiss, looking at her with such childlike awe that she shivered
under the scrutiny. Reluctantly, she released her hold on him as he
stepped away slowly.

"I'll
be back," he whispered assuredly.

She
could only nod mutely and watch as he walked away.

"I'll
be waiting," she said as the dust settled in the road behind
Epona's hooves.

Author's
Note: I hope it wasn't too cheesey… Bringing this story out again
made me want to play the game all over again. Waiting twelve hours in
the cold for a Wii was well worth it.

Also,
it's my opinion—despite the Zelda cartoon of way-back-when—that
Link is a rather innocent and unassuming young man. I see him as the
type who would be uncomfortable approaching a girl he liked. And I
think Zelda is fairly naive in her own way as well. They're just so
cute it hurts. Anyway, feel free to let me know what you
think about the whole thing. I'd love to hear your feedback.

The author would like to thank you for your continued support. Your review has been posted.